Things You Should Buy

I think I don’t say that enough. I like that my blog isn’t just an endless series of commercials, but the thing about commercials is that they work. The whole reason this site exists is because I write books. You would most probably not be here if I wasn’t a semi-famous novelologist. I would most certainly not be writing these posts because I’m of a previous generation that understood nobody really gives a damn about what the average person thinks. And, aside from being a writer, I’m pretty average. Smarter, sure, and better looking. But not enough to really get anyone excited to read my thoughts on Dinobots and artistic struggles.

So buy my books because they’re really very good and original, and, yes, they’re funny, but they’re also heartfelt and thoughtful, in their own special way. Plus, mutant dinosaurs and moon-eating cosmic monsters and stuff. That’s cool, right?

Speaking of cool stuff (that I didn’t create), I’ve recently stumbled across a few cool video games that might be worth your time.

First up, AWESOMENAUTS, a multiplayer game you can download on Xbox Live and PSN. The premise of Awesomenauts is basic. Two teams of three characters fighting it out, each trying to be the first to destroy the enemy base. To do so, you have to clear a path through lines of opposing turrets while earning money, upgrading your character, and trying to kill the other team more than they kill you. In this regard, Awesomenauts isn’t greatly original, but the execution is the thing, and it is, well, awesome.

Unlike nearly any other game of this type I can think of, Awesomenauts is a classic 2D sidescroller. In the proud tradition of Sonic and Mario, it discards cutting edge 3D graphics and instead, is a cartoony sidescroller with tons of personality. By disregarding realism completely, Awesomenauts succeeds brilliantly in terms of character design and gameplay. It is modeled after an 80′s cartoon, right down to its own theme song and characters.

Personality is rampant. Whether you choose to play as Yuri, a monkey with a rocketpack, or Clunk, an exploding robot, you can genuinely feel the characters at play. With eight playable characters, you’re bound to find something you enjoy. Each character plays differently without being overwhelming, and watching how different matchups play is half the fun.

None of this would matter if the game wasn’t fun to play. It is, and despite the perceived limitations of sidescrollers, this game has gameplay to burn. The battles can be short and brutal or epic and tricky. 2D means it’s relatively easy to pick up, but the depth will keep you coming back.

Plus, did I mention the monkey with a rocketpack?

The other game I’ll mention isn’t out yet, and it isn’t obscure. TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON is due out at the end of the month and has a great demo available for download. It is an amazing game. It’s been a while since I’ve played a Transformers video game, but if the demo is any indication, they’ve nailed it.

The Bumblebee demo basically amounts to a tutorial, but it is fun and lively. It’s a great introduction. The Vortex demo adds more meat, showing the great potential. And the limited multiplayer currently available is astounding. There’s nothing quite so satisfying as shooting an enemy, transforming into a sportscar, and zipping away before anyone can get a shot off. Or being cornered, becoming a jet, and blasting away in the nick of time. The game is full of greatness.

You can be a jet strafing the battlefield one moment, a robot laying down fire the next, and back and forth with no problems. It’s all so smooth and fun, I can’t say enough good things about it. So check out the Fall of Cybertron demo. You’ll be glad you did.

4 Comments

Thanks for the video game recommendations. I’m downloading the Transformers demo now. Oh, and I have purchased all of your books (followed a friend’s recommendation a while back). I’ve read five of them so far, and have greatly enjoyed each of them. I’m reading Emperor Mollusk now.

Duh. I already own them all – I’ve had a standing order for your work at the local indie bookstore since The Automatic Detective. Also, I work in a library and push them on every patron I can think of like I’m a crack dealer.

It probably would not hurt sales to update the list of books on your website, either. You are missing Chasing the Moon and Emperor Mollusk… I just finished Emperor Mollusk and really enjoyed it. But, I had to find it by searching Amazon to see if you had published anything new.

I’ve bought every book you have published or had a story in, including some duplicates when they were released as ebooks. My first was In the Company of Ogres. My favorites are Nameless Witch and Too Many Curses. I know you don’t like doing sequels, but I think there is still more to explore in both of those universes. I like what you are doing with the evolving Mack Megaton short story on your site. I hope that it means that you might re-visit some of your other universes at some point.